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This vegan chocolate fudge recipe is as fuss-free as it gets! No candy thermometer, finicky ingredients, or complicated step-by-step instructions. All you need is 3 basic ingredients and 15 minutes to make this decadent treat. The hardest part is not eating it all the first day!
Why is fudge not vegan?
Classic fudge is made with ingredients like dairy butter, evaporated milk or condensed milk, milk chocolate, and sometimes even marshmallow fluff. These ingredients are of course not vegan-friendly (marshmallows aren’t even vegetarian!) but are thankfully easy to substitute with healthier plant-based options!
This easy vegan chocolate fudge recipe is just as delicious as the traditional version. It’s the perfect easy recipe to serve for Christmas, or Valentine’s Day, or stash in the freezer for a quick way to satisfy a sweet tooth. Plus, it makes the perfect gift for neighbors, teachers, friends, and more.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chocolate chips: Our favorite chocolate chips to use are semi-sweet chocolate chips. They aren’t as bitter as dark chocolate and are easy to find in stores. When shopping for vegan chocolate chips, always check the ingredients label. If the chocolate chips contain milk, there should be an allergen warning that says contains milk. One of our go-to brands for vegan, allergen-friendly chips is Enjoy Life.
- Nut butter: We used natural peanut butter for a chocolate peanut butter vegan fudge, but if you’re looking for a more neutral-tasting homemade fudge, opt for almond butter or cashew butter. Hazelnut butter would also be a delicious twist! Whatever you choose, make sure it is thick and creamy, not runny. We used no-stir peanut butter for best results.
- Vanilla: A little goes a long way, but a splash of vanilla extract adds depth of flavor and additional sweetness.
- Sea salt: This ingredient is optional, but there’s nothing better than a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of a chocolate dessert. Give it a try with our popular Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe next.
Equipment Needed
How to Make Vegan Fudge
- Melt the chocolate. Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals, mixing after each increment until a smooth, creamy texture.
- Add chocolate, peanut butter, and vanilla extract to a food processor. Process this vegan fudge mixture until completely smooth and uniform. There should be no chunks.
- Transfer to a baking dish. Using a silicone spatula, transfer the fudge mixture to the lined baking dish, smoothing and leveling out the top.
- Chill until solidified. Place the fudge in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 1 hour, or until solid.
- Slice the fudge into cubes. Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator. Run a butter knife along the edges of the dish to loosen up the sides of the fudge for easy removal. Pop it out and transfer the fudge to a large cutting board. Using a slightly wet, sharp knife, cut the vegan fudge into small squares (we cut 24 pieces).
- Garnish and serve. Top the fudge with flaky Maldon salt, as desired, and serve immediately while chilled. Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Vegan fudge will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Fudge can also be kept at room temperature for 1-2 days, especially if it will be eaten quickly but keep it out of direct sunlight to prevent melting.
For best long-term storage results, store fudge in an airtight container such as a Tupperware or reusable silicone bag tightly sealed.
Recipe FAQs
In this vegan chocolate peanut butter fudge, we skipped butter altogether and instead went with creamy nut butter. If you have coconut butter or cocoa butter on hand, give our Vegan Pumpkin Pie Fudge a try. It’s the perfect vegan butter substitute in fudge.
If you do not own a microwave, no problem! Add the vegan chocolate chips into the upper bowl or pot of a double boiler on the stovetop and allow the chips to melt slowly. Mix often with a spatula until the chocolate has completely melted.
If refrigeration isn’t setting your homemade dairy-free fudge, pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This will speed up the process and help it set. If that isn’t helping, it is likely your nut butter was too runny.
Hard, crumbly fudge is the result of using dry nut butter. If your peanut butter or nut butter of choice is not creamy enough, it won’t have enough natural oils throughout and will result in dry fudge. A high-quality, creamy nut butter with wholesome ingredients works best he
If you have a nut allergy, swap the peanut butter with creamy sunflower seed butter.
More Holiday-Inspired Vegan Desserts You May Enjoy:
- Vegan Sugar Cookies (these are so good!)
- 3-Ingredient Swirled Chocolate Bark – This is a must-try!
- Vegan Thumbprint Cookies – No matter the time of the year, these are worth making!
- Raw Vegan Chocolate Truffles (3-Ingredients) – So simple and super tasty.
- Chocolate Soufflé Cake – If you love chocolate, these are for you!
- Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberries – To make for that special someone.
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
Print
Vegan Chocolate Fudge Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 17 minutes
- Yield: 24 small squares
Description
This vegan chocolate fudge recipe is as fuss-free as it gets! No candy thermometer, finicky ingredients, or complicated step-by-step instructions. All you need is 3 basic ingredients and 15 minutes to make this decadent treat. The hardest part is not eating it all the first day!
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegan chocolate chips of choice (we used semi-sweet)
- 1 cup no-stir peanut butter (or any smooth and thick nut or seed butter; see notes)*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Maldon salt, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Line a medium dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Add the peanut butter and the vanilla extract to the bowl of a food processor.
- Place the chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate in 30-second increments, mixing after each increment, until it is completely melted. Add the melted chocolate into the food processor and process until smooth.
- Using a spatula, transfer all of the fudge from the food processor into the lined baking dish, being sure to smooth it out and level off the top. Place the dish into the refrigerator and allow the fudge to set for 1 hour, or until solidified.
- Remove the dish from the refrigerator. Loosen up the sides of the fudge using a butter knife and pop it out of the baking dish. Transfer the fudge to a cutting board and using a slightly wet sharp knife, cut into small squares (we cut 24).
- Top the fudge with salt (optional) and dig in.
- Transfer the fudge into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks (see notes)*.
Notes
- We used Trader Joe’s Creamy no-stir peanut butter. It is presweetened which was not necessary but if you are working with dark chocolate, it may be ideal based on your taste preferences.
- If you are allergic to peanuts or prefer not to use them, another thick and creamy nut OR seed butter will work in its place. The key is to just make sure that the nut or seed butter you use is not runny. This will ensure that the fudge has the perfect thick and creamy consistency and sets properly. Sunflower, cashew and almond butter all work great.
- Another option for melting the chocolate is placing it into a small pot on the stove with the peanut butter and heating it until completely melted, whisking often.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. This fudge is also freezer-friendly. You can store it in an airtight container in the freezer for about 3 months, just be sure to set it out to thaw for about 15 minutes before consuming.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-free
Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
I didn’t see any amounts of the ingredients ,so how much to I use on these 3 ingredients???
the full recipe with measurements is at the bottom of the blog post 🙂
I made this recipe this weekend and it was super easy! The hardest part was cleaning the food processor after :). This recipe fit well in a loaf pan. I shared with some nonvegans and they couldn’t get enough of it! I will definitely be making this again and I am thinking of maybe adding crushed candy canes on top with some peppermint extract for Christmas time.
Easy and delicious!
Like to make chocolate peanut butter fudge! Ty
Looks like a perfectly and almost dangerously easy recipe! Peanut butter and chocolate chips melted together can really act as a powerhouse. You can use the mixture as a frosting, a cookie dough, a filling for a pie, fudge, and so much more!
Omg yum!! What a great idea
I am so trying this. Thank you!
Yay! We hope you enjoy 🙂
chocolate is always a good deal
I agree!